Computer communications systems often transfer data in a unit. In order to achieve increased bandwidth, larger messages may be divided into sub-units called maximum transfer units (“MTUs”). Specifically, message is sent from a sending host to a sending network interface directly connected to the host. As the message is received on the sending network interface, the message is stored on the sending network interface. The message is sent in the MTUs from the sending network interface to a receiving network interface via a network. As the MTUs of the message are received on the receiving network interface, the MTUs are stored. Once the entire message is received on the receiving network interface, the entire message is transmitted to the receiving host. After the entire message is transmitted to the receiving host, the receiving network interface sends a notification to the host that the message arrived. This method may be referred to as a store and forward protocol because each component must store the message before the component can forward the message. The store and forward protocol may be used because of difference between the speed of an input/output (I/O) bus between the network interface and the host and the speed of the network. An additional or alternative reason for using the store and forward protocol is that the MTU may be different between the I/O bus and the network.